Byron Lodge Ardmore

... around Columbia to take in its charms. Martha and Matt pointed out the colleges and landmarks and parks that make it one of the more beautiful and exciting cities. Large enough to offer lots of intrigue and culture yet small enough to have plenty of parking and an easy hip atmosphere. I would recommend this city as a place to live and raise kids.

Friday 23rd
It had stopped raining some time in the night and had ...

... it to the camp.

We had just enough daylight to set up the tent and realize we didn't have light except for our cell phone and propane gas stove. So Lenny went to a nearby RV camp to buy firewood and flashlight. I started to cook but got nervous under the pitch dark sky because there was some rustling in the woods and screeching noises. It kept getting close and ...

Well after many successful days of putting things off, I am finally starting to get things ready for Ireland. Probably a good thing since I leave tomorrow for almost 4 months. Packing has been quite the challange. I am still struggling to finish because I cannot fit everything I want into my suitcase and of course I need everything I am trying to squeeze into the suitcases :) Well this is ...

... submerge ourselves in French living, learning and loving. A program such as this one comes with a lot of mystery and intrigue. I have yet to know where I will be living, what kind of accommodations will be provided, and where I will be traveling throughout the year. For those of you that know me well, you will also know I like having plans. Plans are good. They keep life in order and everything at bay. The first year I was to leave for college, I started packing ...

Hannibal Missouri

We left Springfield Illinois this morning and then after crossing the Mississippi river our first stop was Hannibal, a town most commonly known for the birth place of one of the worlds most beloved authors Mark Twain. We toured around the town and went in some of the houses that inspired Mark Twain's books. Later that afternoon we went on a paddle wheeler boat down the Mississippi river, and we listened to the ...

... show Darren the Missouri campus he always tries to discount due to his Kansas ties. We visited Kristi's brother Brian and his girlfriend and they served as our tour guides around a campus that has changed quite a bit in ten years which made Kristi feel really old. It's still a beautiful campus.

Today we got up early and after a breakfast of scones and tea, we piled into the car for a trip to Ardmore, which is in County Waterford. Now, we wanted to go to Ardmore because we had read a series of books by Nora Roberts that was set in Ardmore. After a drive of about 3 hours, we reached the tiny seaside town, and while the view was lovely, and it was ...

We arrived in Hannibal, checked into the hotel, and headed out for lunch. Then, we walked up the hill to the lighthouse to get a good view of the river. Afterward, we toured the Mark Twain house and museum and took an hour long ride on the Twain Riverboat.

... land records of ancestors who had once resided in Nauvoo! She indicated that “I [had] often felt that they were watching over our family, cheering us on.”
At the conclusion of the brief, yet memorable visit, many gathered in the Visitors’ Center to bear testimony and to sing a parting benediction to the missionaries and to their dear Nauvoo. God be with you, beautiful Nauvoo, until we meet again.
By Janine Green, 2nd soprano

Well my trip has officially begun as I have left home on Aug 5, although I am only 90 miles away in Columbia, Missouri. On Aug 10 I will be boarding the Grey Hound bus and heading south to Baton Rouge and New Orleans to visit a friend and check out some of the damage left by Hurricane Katrina last year.